Mongolian Costume
01 · Historical Records
Mongolian clothing is one of the most representative types of dress among the northern nomadic peoples of China. It achieved unprecedented development in the Yuan dynasty, becoming attire that was lavish and gorgeous, grand and imposing, luxurious and refined.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
As society changed continuously, the various Mongolian tribes gained independent room for development, the types and varieties of Mongolian clothing steadily increased, and the dress of each tribe formed its own distinctive characteristics, which have continued to the present day. The dress of each Mongolian tribe distinguishes between men and women, old and young, and married and unmarried, as well as among seasonal, ceremonial and everyday garments. It mainly comprises robes (single-layer robes, lined robes, quilted robes, fur robes with an outer facing, raw-hide fur robes, smoked-hide fur robes), vests (aoji, aojimuge), boots (felt boots, scented oxhide boots, mahai boots), and headwear and accessories (flints, satchels, fragrant sachets). The Mongolian people have long lived on the grasslands north of the Great Wall. The harsh, cold plateau climate, together with a way of life characterized by nomadic herding and many long hours spent on horseback, meant that their clothing had to provide strong protection against cold while being convenient for riding; long robes, vests, leather hats and leather boots naturally became their first choice of dress, giving it a strong grassland character. Long robes are mostly made of leather, wool, cotton and silk fabrics, according to the season; the robe body is loose and full, the sleeves are long, and the hem is not slit. The collar, cuffs and garment edges of Mongolian robes are often trimmed with brocade lace, and the color of the robe varies with the sex and age of the wearer. Red, white, blue, yellow and green are especially favored; color matching is sometimes strongly contrasting and vividly bright, sometimes quietly elegant and harmoniously subdued. The belt is very long, and men's belts are often hung with ornaments such as a knife, a flint and a snuffbox. Women's headwear is mostly made from jewelry, gold, silver and jade, dazzling and brilliantly magnificent. In terms of garment style, Mongolian dress has ample upper garments and broad sashes; it is graceful and luxurious, elegant and dignified, expressing both the curvaceous beauty of Mongolian women and the heroic, magnanimous and rugged character of herders. Among these, religious vestments and Mongolian wrestling costumes also have their own distinctive features and uses. Mongolian clothing integrates cutting and sewing, precious-metal working and ornament making; it is an inseparable component of Mongolian culture, embodies the wisdom of the Mongolian people, displays rich cultural connotations, and has research value in history, ethnology, aesthetics and other fields.
Cutting the Torghut robe
Bohu tailoring narrows the Torghut robe and tightens the cuffs for riding, always measuring against an existing garment.
Embroidered tea bags and sewing pouches
Tea bags and sewing pouches carry the finest embroidery, with plant and livestock motifs drawn freehand.
Stitch patterns and rolled edges
Rolled edging and button stitching finish a garment; a loose edge undermines the stiffness of the whole coat.
Festive dressing at weddings and holidays
Torghut festive dress is assembled in a fixed order, with the number of ornaments matched to the wearer's age and years married.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
In China, Mongolian clothing is distributed mainly within the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as in Mongolian settlements in the provinces and autonomous regions of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai and Yunnan.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Mongolian Costume · Mongolian Costume · Mongolian Costume · Mongolian Costume.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Mideke (recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Female, Mongolian, born in September 1945, a native of Bohu County, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. In her youth she learned the craft of making traditional Mongolian clothing from her mother Tuosai; she could not only cut and sew traditional Mongolian garments but also do embroidery, and became a well-known maker of traditional Mongolian costume in the locality. The traditional garments, tea bags, needlework kits, tourist souvenirs and other items she made have been widely praised and welcomed. She has participated in various folk activities and competitions around the country, and has considerable influence among the people. She has devoted herself enthusiastically to transmitting the traditional dress of the Xinjiang Mongols, especially the Torghut tribe, and has taken on many apprentices. She is a representative inheritor of Mongolian clothing, a fourth-batch national-level intangible cultural heritage project.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Siqingbalamu 04-1981
- Mideke 04-1982
- Balagarima 05-3042
- Qimuge 05-3043
- Narenqiqige 05-3044
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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